Military ordered to restore order in Sri Lanka

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said he had ordered the military and police to do “whatever is necessary” to restore law and order in the country.

He issued the order after thousands of protesters broke into his office in the capital, Colombo, in defiance of the country’s newly imposed state of emergency.

In a televised speech, Mr. Wickremesinghe said a committee headed by the chiefs of the military and police forces has been formed to restore normalcy. He said protesters were preventing him from taking over as acting president.

After President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled the country, the Speaker of Parliament declared Prime Minister Wickremesinghe as the acting President of the country. Opposition leader Sajith Premadasa called the announcement “ridiculous.”

Earlier, the broadcast of a state TV channel was stopped when protesters entered its office.
After the Emergency

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe declared a state of emergency in the country. But thousands of protesters gathered in front of the prime minister’s office.

When they tried to enter the building, police used water cannon and tear gas to disperse them. There were several clashes between them. At one point, protesters scaled the walls around the prime minister’s office. They broke the main gate of the Prime Minister’s Office and finally managed to enter inside.

They then started shouting slogans. A lot of people take photos and videos with their phones.

Rajani Vaidyanathan, a BBC correspondent, also went inside the prime minister’s office. “This is an extraordinary moment in Sri Lanka’s history. A few days ago, protesters broke into the presidential palace and offices.

He says it’s hard to describe the situation. But the real question is – what next? The protesters don’t know the answer.

The protesters are not listening to the Prime Minister.

Thousands of people have been protesting on the streets of Colombo despite Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s announcement of a curfew and a state of emergency across the country, including the capital Colombo.

Protesters say their fight is far from over. They demand that all those who are in the leadership of the government should leave. And those responsible for the state of affairs in the country must be brought to justice.

In a televised address, Prime Minister Wickremesinghe ordered the military to do whatever it takes to restore law and order in the country.

He called on protesters to leave his office and other government buildings occupied by protesters.

“We cannot destroy the Constitution. Fascists can’t take power. This fascist threat to democracy must end. “

But no one seems to be listening. A BBC correspondent in Colombo says the prime minister’s speech suggests the army may be taking over security in the capital.
President Rajapaksa’s escape

The protests in Sri Lanka over the past few months have intensified due to the economic crisis in the country.

There was no information on President Rajapaksa’s whereabouts after the protesters occupied his residence. Many rumours were spread also about it.

However, it was finally confirmed last night that he had left the country for the Maldives. He left the country with his wife on a military plane. This was confirmed by the Sri Lankan Air Force. He arrived in Male, the capital of the Maldives, at 3am local time on Wednesday.

Protesters blame President Rajapaksa’s family and his government for the country’s poor economy.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa announced his resignation on Wednesday, July 13. But it is not yet clear what he will do.

The BBC has learned that Mr. Rajapaksa will not be in the Maldives. Go to another country. His brother, former Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa, has already left Sri Lanka and is on his way to the United States.
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